The Golden Path to Redemption
by scifigeekgirl
Summary: The Doctor and Clara run into trouble while visiting a jungle planet. Soon, the Amazons have declared the Doctor corrupt and blasphemous. Only the Golden Mother can cure him. Lucky for the Doctor the Golden Mother aka Rose Tyler has just the cure for him.


A/N: 11/Rose but it does have Clara in it. Part of my ElevenxRose verse

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who

The Doctor bounded out of the TARDIS with the enthusiasm of a hyperactive puppy. The warm humidity of the jungle destination didn't seem to diminish his excitement, even dressed in his aubergine frock coat, woolen trousers and linen dress shirt with matching bow tie. He closed his eyes and breathed in the pungent scent of decaying vegetation mixed with, the fragrance of green growing life, orchids and a touch of muskiness from a nearby animal.

Clara was a bit more skittish about taking a step outside. She had learned the Doctor had a habit of declaring their arrival at the intended destination only to find they were not only not at their destination, but in fact, several planets and centuries away from it. Not, of course, that it lessened her enthusiasm. Clara loved adventure and it didn't matter if they hadn't arrived at the promised planet, but after being drenched in torrential rains or caught in a blizzard in little more than boots and a simple jersey dress, she wanted to be prepared. Freezing to death while her nutter Time Lord was bouncing around was not fun. As she stepped out onto the soft damp ground, feeling her trainers squish down into it, she determined this world may not be quite so bad. At least, it was warm and tropical with a chance of seeing something interesting without dying of exposure. She tossed her jacket back into the TARDIS, happy she'd worn a short sleeved light cotton printed dress for this trip.

As she looked around, she couldn't help but smile. It was in a word, beautiful. Tall densely leafed trees towered all around them. She could see birds flitting about and something that looked like a blue monkey climbing above them. At ground level, vines wrapped around some of the trees and weaved through the thick large leaf foliage. There were clumps of a fuchsia colored orchids nestled against some of the tree trunks and brightly colored blue and purple butterflies danced in the air just out of reach.

"The Planet Wanda!" the Doctor proclaimed arms wide and he spun around as a bird squawked and flew for a nearby tree.

Clara's attention was drawn from examining the jungle back to the Doctor. "What? Someone named a jungle planet Wanda? Why Wanda? Why not Jane, Lulu or Carmen?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Why not Wanda? They named the Earth, Earth after…" An unhappy expression flitted over his face and he strode closer to Clara. "Wait! Bad example," he said, shaking his head. "That was a rubbish plan on my part since Earth ended up being a rather dodgy fellow." He looked up just as a piece of fruit fell which he caught in his hand. He tossed it at Clara. "Nevertheless, it all worked out in the end! Everyone loves the name Earth now, don't they!" He strode forth into the jungle, almost becoming tangled in some fines and stumbled slightly as Clara held the fuchsia colored fruit looking confused.

"Come along, Clara!" he shouted back at her as the greenery of the jungle enveloped him and he made his way forward to some unknown destination. "A verdant paradise just teaming with life awaits!" he continued to shout back to her.

Clara looked once more at the fruit before tossing it aside and followed after him. He had promised her a warm tropical climate but somehow she envisioned more of a beach like setting with swaying palm trees and possibly aliens in sarongs sipping some off world version of a margarita. This was more like an Amazonian jungle filled with things that may not be friendly. However, she was Clara and this was an alien world filled with things she'd never seen before. She wasn't going to waste one moment and wanted to see everything. Also, letting the Doctor wander off on his own was never a good idea. That final thought would soon be proven true in a way the Doctor would not forget for a very long time.

When she caught up with him, she found him enthusiastically expounding on the pollination of some giant venus fly trap type plant which had coincidentally wrapped him up in its vines. A few minutes after that, they were surrounded by female warriors.

"This is sacred territory of the Selamef Tribe. No unauthorized males are permitted here," advised a tall warrior wearing a leather and gold breast plate and a brown cotton shorts. She had her hair plaited and arranged on her head, held together with gold combs. She also carried a spear and had a crossbow strapped to her back. All the women appeared toned and with a dark rich complexion. They appeared wary and looked to Clara for answers.

"Oh sorry! We didn't realize. Tourist! Lost tourists," she said in rapid fire babble.

They didn't look impressed and in fact seemed to be gripping their spears tighter.

"Yes, tourists! That's us! Just here to admire your lovely planet and your vigorous plant life," the Doctor added and struggled against the vines drawing him closer to the open mouth of the plant.

Clara chewed her lip as she looked at his troubled state and she thought about their predicament. Obviously, it was up to her to save them as they didn't seem very keen on men in general, much less the Doctor. "So, we're terribly sorry. In fact, we'd love to leave…in peace. Don't suppose I could bother you for a bit of a rescue. As in the man eating plant there," she said, indicating the plant and with a perky smile hoping to show them they were friendly and not threatening.

The warriors seemed to contemplate the situation and Clara realized she needed to show them she was the Alpha female, so to speak.

"I mean, I'm sorry about him. He gets us into all sorts of trouble. Trouble is his middle name really. I probably need to trade him in. Know what I mean?"

"Clara!" the Doctor called out, glaring at her.

"And noisy too. Could be a rubbish driver. Too soon to tell yet. But he does have a …."

"Clara! A little assistance! And I am not a rubbish driver! I…ahhhhhh!" he shouted as his foot was almost in the mouth of the plant.

Finally, one of the warriors stepped forward and threw a piece of the fuchsia fruit he had tossed around earlier into the mouth of the plant. It immediately let the Doctor go.

He fell to the ground and then sprang up, clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Amazons! I love your kind! So Amazonian and friendly and carry such lovely pointy things," he spouted as one of the Amazons pointed a spear in his face.

"You will be silent!" the leader ordered, her brown eyes narrowing on him.

"Oh, that'll be the day," Clara muttered sarcastically. The Doctor turned toward her about to respond but one of the Amazons shoved a spear point at his chin, nudging him back away from her.

"The Golden Mother will decide their fate!" the leader announced.

At that point, Clara and the Doctor were separated, much to his annoyance. Clara was led away while he was tied up, threatened and eventually gagged when he refused their command to be silent. He soon found himself carried through the jungle trussed up to a bamboo pole like a pig for roasting over a fiery pit. He did sincerely hope that was not the case. He wasn't quite ready to regenerate yet and certainly didn't look forward to being roasted to death as the main course of some cannibalistic society. If he had not been gagged, he would have lectured the Amazons on how very not tasty Time Lords were. They were blatantly ignoring his attempts to talk over his gag except for the odd rude comment and glare. After a while, he stopped and just endured the indignantly of being swung to and fro as he was transported over through the jungle by the silent Amazons. By the time they pushed their way through some dense foliage into a clearing where a primitive town lay before them, he was damp from pushing through wet leaves and was covered in dirt. In fact, a friendly centipede was crawling its way up his chest and curling around his bow tie.

The village was not entirely primitive. Many of the buildings where more than one story and appeared to be constructed of hardened clay although a few were more of a thatched hut design. Women walked by dressed in simple linen shifts, wearing a few metal ornaments. The men wore more ornate, brightly colored clothing and were dressed in a low slung sarong around their hips. Some men peeked out of the structures with children clinging to their legs while others were carrying baskets of produce by their female counterparts, seemingly content and happy.

The Doctor was unceremoniously dropped in a mud puddle after his bindings were cut. Another female, who looked similar to a Indian noble woman, her black hair in an elaborate design twisted and styled high on her head with a few tribal markings painted on her arms strode forth and examined him. Several of his captors bowed in respect murmuring, "Sultana Kaya." As soon as he could, he spit out his gag and plucked the centipede from his bow tie which he carelessly tossed aside looking annoyed.

Cutting off what was most certainly about to be a lecture on mistreating friendly visitors, Sultana Kaya spoke, "You were found violating the sacred Liesta Grounds" she declared.

"Violating is a very strong word! It's more like visiting or passing through quickly on our way to…other places," he responded.

"Nonetheless, you have violated our sacred grounds. You will be judged by the Golden Mother."

When Sultana Kaya said _Golden Mother_, all of the Amazonian Warriors, whispered reverently, "Blessed be the Golden Mother."

"But wait!" the Doctor said and tried to stand up until one of the warriors shoved a spear in his back and shoved him down.

Sultana Kaya looked at the guards. "He must be prepared to be brought forth. See to it."

"Prepared?" the Doctor repeated. "Sultana, wait, what about Clara? My friend, she's…" he tried to say before a spear was shoved against his cheek."

"You will be silent or be gagged. The female you attempted to corrupt is being seen by the Golden Mother."

The Doctor stared at the point of the spear. "Corrupt!" he said outraged until the point of the spear was pressed harder against his cheek. "Yes, I get your point. Clara is off to be blessed by the Golden Mother whose golden and all seeing."

After that, he was shoved, dragged and generally tossed into a hut where he was stripped of clothing and scrubbed down by several of the Amazon's male counterparts, all of whom did so silently. Most of the men shot him pitying looks as he tried to make conversation and especially when he complained about the blue and white Indonesian type sarong wrapped around his hips or the tiny white flowers woven into his hair. The men seemed satisfied as they shoved him out of the hut toward the guards who again pointed spears at him and led him through the village to large temple. The whole way he kept muttering about, violation of his rights, citing rules from the Shadow Proclamation, being the last of the Time Lords and being revered on at least a thousand worlds, until one of the guards pulled out a blue pieced of fabric which she dangled menacingly at him. Not wanting the indignity of being gagged again, he stopped talking and instead worked out a plan of escape.

The interior of the temple was dark and far more modern than he expected. The floors were made of a more refined stone and the walls were a warm beige color. It was a pleasant temperature with none of the jungle's humidity and the slight scent of incense permeated the air. After walking through a long corridor he was roughly shoved into a cavernous room. He hit the floor with a thud and a curse on his lips. When he looked up, his mouth gaped. There, on a dais filled with colored pillows, dressed in a white flowing gown, her hair piled high on her head and studded with pink flowers, was the Golden Mother, known to one annoyed Time Lord as Rose Tyler.

"Golden Mother," the lead guard said and inclined her head. "This is the sacrilegious stranger found in the holy grounds."

Rose arched a brow and smiled brightly. She then looked to the side where Clara lounged dressed in yellow halter gown eating some fruit and looking entirely too amused for the Doctor's comfort. The two women smirked and then Rose stood up and walked down the steps of the dais until she reached the floor.

"Nice job! I expected to hear 'im shouting and complainin' the whole way here," she said, her eyes alight with mischief and a huge grin on her face.

The Doctor tried to stand but was unceremoniously shoved down again. He looked up at his captors with annoyance before turning back to Rose's amused expression. All the annoyance fled out of him. He could never stay mad when she smiled like that at him and after all, the situation was no where near as grim as he thought it might be.

"It was not easy, Golden Mother. He is most disobedient and speaks obscene and blasphemous words. He could use discipline and a firm hand."

Clara snorted and muttered, "You have no idea."

Rose tried not to laugh. "Yes, well, I'm sure he could use a firm hand and a bit of guidance. Leave him with me and I'll see what I can do with him."

Sultana Kaya stepped forward. "Golden Mother, this one is dangerous. I see it in his eyes." She looked pointedly the Doctor and then turned back to Rose. "Could this be the prophecy?"

Rose stepped closer to him. He smiled bit more his green eyes conveying amusement and curiosity. "Golden Mother, you look…ravishingly golden today," he said.

Rose gave him a tongue teasing smile before she turned to Sultana Kaya. "Ya know, I think you're right. Course, you know what that means. I'll have to show 'im his wicked ways and teach him about a better life, a life of blessins and appreciatin' having a hand to hold and guide him to the true path. You know redeem him. I know he looks a little cranky and maybe a bit…"

"Mad, a bit grumpy…oh and can be sensitive about his chin." Clara interrupted and sipped some wine.

"There is nothing wrong with my chin! I'll have you know my profile is…" A guard pushed him down and he mumbled the rest of whatever he was saying into the floor."

"Golden Mother, shall I silence him permanently?" the guard asked, gripping her spear and pointing it at the corner of his mouth.

"No, that's all right. I may have a use for his…tongue." She bit her lip as she looked down at him. Despite the spear he winked at her. Rose cleared her throat and looked over at Sultana Kaya, the picture of a serious holy woman. "Right then, I should get to work on the blasphemer here. So, off with you then," Rose commanded, waving her hand in the air.

"But Golden Mother, we fear for your safety. This one is cunning, disrespectful and danger to all of us," the head guard said, looking down at the Doctor with menace.

Rose snorted. "I can handle him. What's he gonna do, talk me to death?"

Several of the guards snickered. Sultana Kaya smiled and nodded. "It is foretold that the Golden Mother will redeem the irredeemable as she has many times before. The prophecy is clear, the Golden Mother will take the blasphemous stranger from afar and teach him our ways, show him goodness and the way of the verdant green life that supports us and thus shall commence a hundred years of fertility and prosperity."

Everyone began praising the Golden Mother and the good fortune to come. Of course, the guards still didn't trust the Doctor. They clamped a collar around his neck and attached a leash which they handed to Rose. One whispered to him. "You treat the Golden Mother with respect or perhaps you will join the fallen in the pit of the despair!"

"Pit of Despair? How despairing," he replied and then moved quickly away before the guard got carried away with her spear. He watched them leave and turned to Rose who was nodding at Clara.

"I'll just be off! Lots to see! Can't miss the pink persimmons or the bubble falls." She looked at the Doctor. "Be good." She turned and shot a sly glance at Rose and looked back at him. "Or not. Or…whatever." She then flounced out of the room calling out to someone and asking if there really were fluffy Fiffer-feffer-feffs nearby?

Rose fingered the leather leash as the Doctor stretched, brushing off the blue sarong around his hips and ambled over to her, a smile lighting his face as she shot him a few flirty glances.

"Golden Mother is it?"

Rose then looked him up and down, taking her time to enjoy his partially naked state. He was lean in this body with a pale smooth skin but still toned and strong. If he had really wanted to, he could have easily defeated the Amazons but not without harming them and possibly himself. The Amazons were right. There was a hint of danger in his eyes, a leashed power he didn't show many people. He also didn't like being shackled much less divested of his chosen attire. He shifted from foot to foot and crossed his arms in front of himself, not that he had anything to hide from Rose. Their last meeting had changed things and deepened their connection.

It had happened shortly before he lost Amy and Rory. They had been caught in the middle of an unexpected meteor shower on the planet Fostff. Amy and Rory had been with them as sort of a one off trip as treat from the new domestic life his former companions had on Earth. They had left Amy and Rory at a party at the Presidential palace when the meteors began to fall. Rose and the Doctor had been out investigating a local legend that sounded suspiciously like werewolves During the meteor shower, the Doctor and Rose had taken shelter in a cavern that catered to tourists of the local springs.

Rose had asked about Amy and Rory, worried for their safety. The Doctor had paced around the cave, finding an alcove set up with blankets and refreshments and tossed her an apple. The Presidential Palace was reinforced against such disasters. He waved her concern off and assured her they would be fine. She had then teased him about his timing. He thought his timing was splendid and reminded her some things were fixed and they could do nothing to interfere. After all, Rose understood that better than anyone. Not that he was blasé about the death and destruction around them. They were both well aware of what this catastrophic event meant to the people of this planet.

He had an edge to his voice as he told her the importance of the event but his moods were mercurial and soon he turned to her with a new look in his eyes. Her breath at caught as he leaned into her, pressing her against the wall and whispered that everything had its time. Things had escalated from there. Whilst meteors rained down around them, the ground shook and the walls of the cave trembled raising dust around them, the Doctor and Rose caused a storm of their own. When the meteors stopped falling, part of the town was destroyed. They'd emerged and raced out to assist with injuries and damage as well as retrieve Amy and Rory. When Rose had to leave to help her daughter with a small matter of an unstable quantum singularity, the result of a civil war on a planet now destroyed, their parting kiss was not so much good bye as it was, until we find each other again.

So meeting again on this planet, with him leashed to her half naked was not the least bit uncomfortable for him. "So, Golden Mother, what's next?" he asked, taking a few steps toward her, his green eyes sparkling.

"Well, that depends on you. I mean, you did violate sacred ground and you are quite rebellious and…"

"Incorrigible, sacrilegious and oh, my favorite, blasphemous," he said with relish.

Rose tugged on the leash until he was closer. "Yeah, guess I have my work out for me," she said with a tongue teasing smile. "Ya know the men here are happy. They run the village, the commerce, raise the kids and enjoy themselves while the women hunt, provide and keep them safe. It's not your typical matriarchy. Men aren't slaves." She walked up to him and ran a hand down his chest. "Quite the contrary, they're revered."

"As long as they don't talk back as your overzealous spear wielding friend made clear."

Rose couldn't help the giggle that burst out. "Actually, the men are quite chatty. She just didn't like that you were all covered up. Any man coverin' up has something to hide. Not to mention, you were traipsing around the sacred grounds and insultin' their goddess."

He leaned closer to her. "Ahhh yes, but the Golden Mother is going to redeem me, deliver me from my wicked ways and make me a good boy."

Rose laughed again. "Ohhh, I dunno 'bout that, but then again…" She yanked him closer and pressed her lips against his. He leaned into her enjoying the taste of her and how with a few quick swipes of his tongue her mouth opened and her tongue practically invited him in. He took his time, enjoying the feel of her soft lips against his and savoring the intoxicating taste of her. When he pulled back, her eyes were dark and sparkling with the ever present flecks of gold.

"You said there were no slaves and yet here I am collared and leashed to you, the Golden Mother. What does that mean anyway? Golden Mother?" He suddenly looked down at her abdomen. "You're not…that is to say we did rather have a good time…repeatedly. I mean, I was sure that I didn't…and you couldn't be…"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Relax oh blasphemous one. No I'm not. They just call me that 'cos I arrived here in a flash of light and cos' my hair's blonde which fits their local legend and before you get all stroppy with me, I came here by accident. I was in a bit of hurry leaving the Y'sal Moon in the Jalo quadrant when some Nelth warrior shot my vortex manipulator. I crash landed here. My kids showed up but couldn't fix it so ran out for parts. Obviously they got a bit distracted or their rubbish navigators like their Dad."

He laughed harder than he had in a long time. Probably, the most he'd laughed since he lost Amy and Rory. This whole situation was all so mad and so them. "So, you've been stuck playing Golden Mother! Oh, this is classic!" he said enthusiastically and spun around to take in the room before looking back at her less than pleased face. "And you're locked up in some dodgy temple. He's eyes lit on the mass of pillows at the top of the dais. Oh, you have a pillow pile!"

Rose sighed and yanked on his leash. "Come on then."

He was a little too happy to be led around by the leash up to the dais where he fell backwards into the pillows. "It's like leaves only cushier." He then bounced up and down experimentally and looked up at her with a naughty look.

Before he could make another move, she straddled him and leaned down to pepper his face with kisses and one long snog which she released with a pop. "Now, that I have your attention, let the redeeming begin."

"So that's it? I'm your slave until you deem me saved from my wicked ways, absolved or you have un-blasphemed me."

"Mmmm," she hummed as she ran her hands lightly over his muscled arms and leaned down to flick her tongue against his nipples. She shifted, her skirt riding up as she pressed into him, feeling him stir and harden against her.

"You're not wearing knickers," he stated and leaned up, his mouth enveloping her breast through the thin white material of her gown. Her hands skimmed up to his hair. He still had gorgeous hair and she loved to run her fingers through it, even woven with flowers which made her giggle a little as she picked them out.

As his mouth moved to lavish attention on her other breast, she moaned, "No, nothin' under this but me but then it's not like you're wearin' pants now is it." He released her breast and looked up at her.

"Maybe we should perform a visual inspection?"

"Who's the slave and who's the mistress here?" she asked, arching a brow at him.

"I thought that was Golden Mother?" he responded, teasing her.

She leaned down and nuzzled him. "Careful, I can still tie you up and have my way with you and I know you'd hate that." She leaned over and nipped his earlobe causing his breath to catch. "You rather enjoy using your hands and you do amazin' things with them too," she said breathily into his ear.

She sat up and before he could say another word she pulled off his sarong. He didn't seem the least bit put off by her taking charge. In fact, it was quite obvious to Rose he was having a very good time. Rose took delight in making make sure he continued to enjoy himself and may have achieved some personal satisfaction of her own.

She leaned down closer to him "So how's it workin? You feelin' any less blasphemous."

He let loose a string of curse words in at least two languages and yanked her dress off over her head. "Oh look! How terribly rude of me. I may need a bit more redeeming. Maybe mixed with a dose of good old fashioned exorcism of my clearly naughty ways."

"Yeah, I think you do need some exorcising. I should get on that," Rose agreed as she continued caressing and teasing him. She shifted and until her ministrations had both of them catching their breaths. Just as she was about to take things to the next level, he flipped them over and he began licking his way down her body.

"Tell me, oh Golden Mother, is this the path to salvation?" he asked as his tongue wrote Gallifreyan words across her stomach. He worked his way down her body continuing to worship her in intimate ways, eliciting moans and breathy gasps until she called out his name in pleasure. Just as he was looking a bit smug from his clearly superior pleasuring skills, she rolled him over and took the lead once more.

"I hear pride's a sin so now I'm gonna have to work you extra hard to fill you with lots of the Golden Mother's power of goodness," she advised him cheekily and shifted until he gasped and moaned her name. "You ready to be cleansed and blessed?" she asked.

"Bless me! Oh yes by all means, please bless me!" he shouted enthusiastically.

Rose smirked and showed him in great detail that he was not the only one brilliant at the intimate arts of passion and lovemaking. In short order he had a certain Time Lord on the cusp of ecstasy which she soon followed. Collapsed and sunken in a mass of silken pillows, they held each other, nuzzling and enjoying the feeling of peace that followed. "Rose," he said softly as his fingers lightly trailed down her arm. "Something's coming."

"I know," she replied, lying on his shoulder drawing lazy circles on his chest.

"It has to do with Clara."

Rose bit her lip wondering how much she should reveal. She'd always had insight into his potential future. This was no exception. However, she could sense his time line fracturing and something massively important happening. It was odd knowing this but not knowing when or what it meant. All she did know was that Clara being with him was no accident. Rose always knew when she ran across someone whose time line was touched by hers and Clara's was not only touched, it sprang forth from a very momentous event in Rose's time line. The events on the Game Station had far reaching impacts in time and space. It sometimes frightened her when she thought about it but then there were her children and the good they had done across the universe. Time needed them and they were her emissaries whether they wanted to or not. Every life in the universe had a purpose, some more impactful or long lived than others. Clara was an integral piece in the complex universal puzzle.

"Clara is important in a way I don't understand yet. She's good for you," she finally revealed.

He looked down at her. "What do you know?" he asked in that way that was almost an accusation.

Rose looked back at him, unafraid and not letting him push her. "I know you're right. Something's coming and she's a part of it. I know that you still hurt from losing Amy and Rory and Clara reminds you that you can't hide away from that loss. You have to face it just like we all do and go on because there's more out there, more mysteries, more life. She's a mystery that you have to solve."

He pulled away and glared at the ceiling. Rose wasn't going to let him withdraw like that. "Don't try that sulky Time Lord bit with me, mate. It's not like I don't know it. You hurt when you lose people. So do I, so do my kids, so does Clara and every person on Earth. Sarah Jane once said something real wise but sometimes I think you didn't listen. "Pain and loss define us, show us how to live and make the most of life cause it doesn't go on forever as much as we might like to think it does. One day you and I won't be here so stop pouting and gettin' all in a funk over it."

He turned and his face softened into a smile. "You call that pillow talk? Really, Rose, talking about loss and death is hardly likely to spawn round two or three or even four A."

"Four A?" she asked with a giggle.

He had such a light in his eyes. "Maybe you've forgotten, but I am brilliant, a screaming genius capable of calculating complex temporal formulas while piloting a TARDIS through the vortex, solving universal calamities, and simultaneously planning a hundred and one ways to pleasure one, Rose Tyler."

"Not modest are ya?"

Faster than she could see, he was on top of her murmuring "Geronimo" as he proceeded to show her exactly how brilliant he was.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

Many hours later, Rose led the Doctor through the village dressed in his sarong and with a bright smile on his face. He didn't seem to mind the leash. Sultana Kaya walked up and bowed down before Rose as did the guards who had carried him into the village.

"It is the prophecy," Sultana Kaya said, looking pleased. "We shall rejoice and celebrate our good fortune."

The Doctor almost bounced over to Rose. "Ohhh rejoicing! I love a good rejoicing!" He look around at the cheering villagers with curiosity before leaning down to Rose. "Not that we didn't enjoy our own rejoicing but this might be fun. Dancing, eating and maybe a good sacrifice if we're lucky!"

Rose wrinkled her nose and looked at him. "You think sacrificing is exciting?"

"Well not the people kind only the purely symbolic kind like tossing fruit into the carnivorous _Dionaea muscipula_to that attempted to enjoy an aperitif de Time Lord, a burning of herbs or maybe a ceremonial pie fight or ohhhh….I know! Cake!" he said and jumped up and down a couple of times. "I love a good sacrificial cake!"

Rose yanked on the chain and he fell to his knees before her smiling and his eyes sparkling with mischief. He immediately kissed the back of her hand. He heard one of the gardens murmur, "The Golden Mother is truly great. She silenced him with a flick of her wrist."

Before he could retort, Rose thanked everyone and asked Sultana Kaya to commence the celebration. Another cheer went up and she looked down at the Doctor who still held her hand. "How long will you stay with me?" he asked.

Rose felt overcome with emotions. They had both been through so much and she knew there was much still to come in their future that they would have to face. There would be good times and bad times and times neither of them could yet see to come where they would have to make difficult decisions. Throughout it all, no matter where they were, neither of them would be alone.

"Forever," she said emotionally. "No matter where and when we are, I am with you always."

In that moment, something passed between them. He stood up slowly having reached a conclusion about them or maybe it was decision about his own life and role in the universe but before he could say anything Clara ran up.

"Doctor!" Clara shouted and ran up to them, a little out of breath. She stopped looking between. "I'm not interrupting am I? I mean I could come back later but no too much later. I was enjoying wine and chocolates. Ohhhh and those sweet berry things. Not that I've been eating the whole time; and there was a bit of swim in the bubble falls. Perhaps a bit of floating. She paused and looked at them. "Am I interrupting anything?" she asked again looking back and forth between them.

"No uh you're good Clara. Did you have fun today?"

"Are you kidding? Gorgeous blokes, wine, chocolate, bubble falls, tropical paradise and no one trying to kill us!"

Rose nodded. "Yeah, it's a bit of a one off for travelin' with him."

"That is totally unfair and inaccurate! I've taken both of you to perfectly lovely, peaceful worlds where we did nothing but touristy type things and enjoyed boring old scenic overlooks or museums filled with completely false and inaccurate information."

Clara raised her eyebrows. "Boring, dull, scenic, really? I mean when?" She turned to Rose. "It's more like running, death and explosions? Not to mention, nasty cyber thingies or bugs. Hate the bugs. Not that cyberthingies were fun. Or the bugs for that matter. Did I mention the submarine?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "We survived and everything ended…" he paused and flapped his arms about as he said, "Spectacularly."

Rose snickered, "Doesn't it always." She then cleared her throat as he glared at her and turned to Clara. "Sorry, was there something else you wanted to tell us?"

Her eyes lit up and stood up straight. "Yes! Blue monkeys!"

"Blue monkeys?" the Doctor asked. "Is that some type of Amazonian cocktail?"

Clara dramatically rolled her eyes. "No, blue monkeys on the TARDIS Well not exactly on. More like…carting the TARDIS off. That would be bad, wouldn't it?" she asked, her head cocked to the side.

"Bad! Yes it's bad!" he said, shifting from foot to foot in some type of aggravated Doctor dance.

By this time, music was playing and there was singing and dancing as the celebration commenced all around them. Rose took charge. "Right, Clara did you get the Doctor's clothes and my bag?"

Clara nodded. "In the jungle, by the banana tree with the odd looking blue bananas. Weird that was."

"Blue bananas?" the Doctor said, now distracted from his worries over the TARDIS.

"How are we going to sneak away?" Clara asked. "You are sort of the main event here."

Rose winked at her and then touched her bracelet. Fireworks shot up into the air from the temple and exploded around them and thick smoke filled the village. Rose grabbed both the Doctor's and Clara's hands and guided them out into the jungle where they picked up their belongings and were running through the jungle in pursuit of a group of blue monkey's carrying a rather important blue box. Later, in the village, it would be revealed that all of these events were foretold in the prophecy of the Golden Mother and how she tamed the storm of her mate and went on to spread her love across the universe.


End file.
